Pressure-regulator.



No. 833,079. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. W. 0. MOGULLOUGH- PRESSURE REGULATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 2, 1906.

In! NORRIS rirRs can, wnsumaron, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed Januar 2,1906. Serial No. 294,247.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. MoCUL- LOUGI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, .in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Regu lators, of which the following is a specification.

A regulator constructed in accordance with the invention may be used for the purpose of regulating the pressure of any fluid whether gaseous or liquid on the delivery or outlet side of the apparatus and delivering it with a uniform or substantially uniform pressure regardless of variations in the pressure on the inlet side of the apparatus.

The object originally aimed at was to provide an improved device for thus regulating the pressure pressure regulator has been selected for the purposes of illustration and description.

The invention consists in the features of novelty that are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows the pressure-regulator embodying the invention in vertical section.

The casing A has an inlet-orifice a and an outlet-orifice a, and its main portion or the portion through which the gas flows from the inlet to the outlet is divided by a web B of familiar construction into an inlet-chamber C and an outlet-chamber C. The web B has through its intermediate or horizontal portion a threaded opening, into which is screwed a cup D, containing a body E, of mercury. This cup comprises inner and outer tubular walls (1 and d, respectively, and a web d, connecting them at bottom. The inner tubular wall (1 of this cup is open from end to end, and this opening provides a port or passage d through which under conditions hereinafter described the gas may flow from the inlet-chamber C to the outlet chamber C. The flow of the gas through this passage d is controlled by a valve F, which preferably consists of a tube, the lower end of which projects downward into the cup D and is sealed by immersion in the body of mercury E, while its upper end is adapted under conditions hereinafter described to come in contact with a seat G, formed on or attached to the top wall or ceiling of the inlet-chamber C.

As shown in the drawing, the valve is out of contact with its seat, so that the gas from the inlet-chamber may flow over the top of of gas, and this being so a gasit, thence downward through it and into the passage (1 and thence into the outlet-chamber C. This is the normal condition and operation of the device; but upon an increase in the pressure in the outlet-chamber the valve will be partially or wholly 'closed, depending upon the amount or extent'of the increase, by the means now to be described.

On the top of the main portion of the casing is an upward extension A closed by a cap a, said cap being provided with a leakhole or else loosely fitted, so that the interior of chamber C will be under atmospheric pressure, at least above the inverted bell H, which is located within. This bell is connected to the upper end of a stem I, the lower end of which is connected, by means of a spider i, with the tubular or annular valve F, whereby the valve is compelled to partake of the ,movements of the bell. The top wall or ceiling of the inlet-chamber C is provided within the valve-seat G with an opening a, through which the stem I passes loosely, the fit between the stem and the walls of the opening being such as to leave what amounts to a leak-hole, through which the chamber C beneath the bell H may communicate with the inlet-chamber C when the valve F is unseated or with the opening through said valve when the latter is seated. The depending margin of the bell H dips into a body of mercury J, contained in a cup K in exten sionA of the casing, whereby a local seal is formed.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in the drawing, upon an abnormal increase in the pressure in the inlet-chamber C the gas will flow through the leak-hole or opening 0 into the chamber C and beneath the bell H. This increase in pressure will cause the bell to rise more or less, depending upon the extent or amount of the increase, and thereby move the valve toward its seat a greater or less distance, depending upon the extent of the increase. If it is moved a limited extent, it will reduce to a corresponding extent the avenue of escape for the gas between the valve and its seat but, on the other hand, if it is moved to the limit of its permitted movement it will wholly cut off the communication between the inlet-chamber C and the interior of the valve, but at the same time will leave the interior of the bell H in communication with the interior of the valve, and consequently in communication with the outlet-chamber C This condition will continue until the pressure in the outlet-chamber decreases or returns to normal, whereupon the weight of the valve, the bell, and other accessories will move the valve away from its seat and restore communication between the inletchamber 0 and the interior of the valve.

It will be observed that it is impossible for the gas in the inlet-chamber to hold the valve seated. In fact, the working face of the valve is preferably chamfered, so as to reduce it to a knife-edge at its inner margin, thus leaving the remainder of its area eX- posed to the pressure of the gas in the inletchamber even when it is seated, and this pressure instead of tending to hold the valve seated will tend to unseat it as soon as the abnormal pressure in the outlet-chamber C subsides.

In the drawing I have shown only one form of the invention, but call attention to the fact that a peculiarity of invention is that the valve has through it an opening through which the gas flows in passing from the inletchamber to the outlet-chamber, and while I am aware that valves have heretofore been provided with openings for the purpose of admitting gas-pressure beneath them I believe myself to be the first to provide a regulator in which the channel or passage for the gas in traveling from the inlet to the outlet is through the valve itself.

Modifications embodying this idea will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pressure-regulator the combination with a casing having an inlet-chamber, an outlet-chamber, and a passage connecting them, of a tubular valve for controlling said passage, said valve being open at both ends, a seat adapted to receive the upper end of the valve, means for closing communication between the inlet-chamber and the interior of and means controlled by variations in the pressure for moving the valve toward or from its seat, substantially as described.

2. In a pressure-regulator the combination with a casing having an inlet-chamber, an outlet-chamber, and a passa e connecting them, of a tubular valve, a seat adapted to receive the upper end of a valve, a cup into which the lower end of the valve projects, a body of mercury in said cup in which the lower end of the valve is submerged, and

i the valve at bottom,

means controlled by variations in the pressure for moving the valve toward or from its seat, substantially as described.

3. In a pressure-regulator the combination with a casing having an inlet-chamber, and an outlet-chamber separated by a web hav ing an opening through it, of an annular cup secured in said opening, and having through it a passage connecting the inlet and the out let chambers, a body of mercury in said cup, a tubular valve, the lower end of which is submerged in said mercury, a seat for the upper end of the valve, and means controlled by variations in the pressure for moving the valve toward or from its seat, substantially as described.

4. In pressure-regulator the combination with a casing having an inlet-chamber, an outlet-chamber, a passage connecting them, a chamber above the inlet-chamber and a passage connecting them, of a valve for controlling said passages, said valve having through it an opening for the passage of gas, a seat adapted to be engaged by said valve, a bell in the chamber last aforesaid, means for sealing the bottom of the bell, and a stem connecting the bell and the valve, substantially as described.

WILLIAM O. MOCULLOUGH. Witnesses:

L. M. HoPKrNs, JEssIE E. LITSEY. 

